Hey people! For all the Batman lovers out there, i've got a special treat for you. I will be reviewing MOST of the Batman films (sorry Adam West). This includes some of the animated ones, the Tim Burton ones, the Joel Schumacher ones, and the Christopher Nolan ones. There is really no reason I'm doing this. I just love Batman so much on film that I'd thought I'd share it with you guys. First up, I'm reviewing one of the most underrated Batman films: Batman: Mask of the Phantasm.

Batman: Mask of the Phantasm stars the voices of Kevin Conroy, Dana Delany, Hart Bochner, and Mark Hamill. The story is about the caped crusader, who is wrongly accused of different murders done by one person known as the Phantasm.

One of the greatest aspects of the film is the film-noir type feeling. Some shots simply look like they come from a film-noir. The colors match the genre perfectly. Also, it has the dark and gritty feeling that matches a film-noir. Nothing about it is kid-friendly at all. Even though this is a cartoon, we see people die. For example, someone is crushed to death with a statue. Yes, it's that violent! It has that similar feeling that The Dark Knight had. They both are dark and feel very real. Creating this fits the Batman character very well. Seeing him portrayed as a funny guy just isn't him. He's a dark character, and the dark tone fits because of this.

Another great element is the story. The plot is just a stroke of genius. The mystery behind the Phantasm fit perfectly with the film. We also do see the past of Bruce Wayne and how he became Batman. It's not the origin story told in Batman Begins. This one includes a love interest that Bruce falls for. This subplot was a success, but it also fits the major plot as well. Every plot made in the film connects with each other perfectly.

As a whole, the characters are great. Batman/Bruce Wayne was excellent. His love interest Andrea Beaumont was a key character that was done very well. One performance in the film and the animated series that I believe is genius is Mark Hamill as the Joker. This guy does a FANTASTIC job! Everything from the voice to the laugh fits perfectly with the character. Who would have thought that Luke Skywalker would play the Joker?

Overall, this is one of the best interpretations of Batman. It should receive more praise because it's an excellent film. It has that dark, gritty feeling similar to the Dark Knight. You will not go wrong with this movie at all.

MY SCORE: 9/10

If you don't know, this a spin-off of the animated TV show. It's called Batman: The Animated Series. If you've seen this, I highly recommend you watch this. It has the dark tone similar to Christopher Nolan's films and this film as well.

Tell me what you thought of Batman: Mask of the Phantasm by commenting or emailing me at ammarakhtar@devotiontocinema.com